


Dare to Dream

by MagiCraft



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Truth or Dare, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 18:07:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11537643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagiCraft/pseuds/MagiCraft
Summary: Nino and Aiba play Truth or Dare. Sakurai is overworked. Leader gets all the best jobs and Matsujun is conspicuous in his absence…





	Dare to Dream

The young man buried his face in his hands as if to hide his embarrassment. “It’s impossible!” He protested, his breathy voice climbing two octaves higher in his excited confusion.   
  
“No it isn’t.” His companion smirked. He was smaller than his childhood friend, but even huddled in a quiet corner of the greenroom as they were, he managed to loom over the taller man. “You can’t back out now Aiba-chan.” He continued to goad his friend.   
  
“That’s mean Nino…” Aiba spoke from behind his hands; he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this turn of events. His long frame had curled in on itself as if to make him invisible – or at least grant him some protection from Nino’s twisted machinations.   
  
“Just think of it as an experiment.” Nino explained with deceptive reasonableness. Aiba cautiously peeked at his friend and colleague from between his slender fingers, trying to judge his expression.   
  
Nino took his chance and fixed his piercing gaze upon the older man. “Then you just come back here and state your conclusion.” He continued with a smile.   
  
Watching Aiba slowly moving his hands from his face and unfolding his long body to sit up straight, Nino fought to contain his silent glee. He knew he had won; he always did in the end.   
  
“OK, OK, OK!” The would-be scientist conceded in English as he rose to his feet. Taking a deep breath he walked determinedly to the door. “I’ll be back!” He threw over his shoulder at his grinning friend as he exited the room to locate his subject.   
  
“Have a safe trip!” Nino murmured mockingly as he spread out on the sofa of the – now empty – greenroom and took a nap. 

 

* * *

Sakurai Sho stifled a yawn as he waited in his dressing room. Filming for his drama had overrun into the small hours of the morning and his work as a news caster had not allowed him any time to relax. He had just finished the recording for News Zero and came straight to the studio to record another episode of Arashi’s television show.   
  
He had been informed that the guests for this week were running a little late, and Sakurai wondered if he should grab a quick nap in the dressing room. He was already dozing off to sleep when he was half aware of someone knocking gently on the door. He mumbled something unintelligible, too tired to form a proper reply or even open his eyes. Surely, whatever it was could wait?   
  
Sitting upright on the divan, his head falling back and to one side, his arms folded across his chest and his legs outstretched and crossed at the ankle, the over-worked Idol ignored his surroundings and slept.   
  
It was some time later, although he couldn’t have said how long exactly, when Sakurai became aware of the presence of another person in the room: Someone who had draped a light blanket over his sleeping form and closed the window against the chill. It was obviously the same someone who was currently sat beside him and upon whose shoulder he now rested his head.   
  
He wanted to open his eyes. To see the person who fitted beside him so perfectly and shared their warmth with him. He wanted to know whose gentle hands were stroking his hair so comfortingly making him feel safer and more protected than he had ever felt before. He wanted to know, but he was afraid if he opened his eyes, he would break whatever beautiful spell he was currently under.   
  
Instead he shifted slightly, to settle more firmly into the peaceful embrace. The arm on which he rested pulled him closer still and continued to stoke his hair. Encouraged that this was  _not_ , in fact, a dream, Sakurai whispered a single word into the serene silence.   
  
“Who…?”   
  
“Shhh….” The familiar voice was soft – unsurprised by the silence so suddenly broken. “You work too hard Sho-kun.”   
  
Sakurai felt the words more than he heard them; felt the concern in his friends tone, the pride and the mild reproof that came with it. “…Masaki?” He barely breathed the name, too content to risk upsetting the peace of their situation.   
  
“Hmm?”   
  
“You too.”   
  
Sho felt Aiba’s answering chuckle rock his whole body and allowed it to lull him further. “Maybe.” Aiba sighed. “But you should rest.”   
  
“Am resting.” Sakurai protested in a deliberately childish tone.   
  
“You are not.” His friend disputed, “Because you’re talking to me.”   
  
“Because you’re distracting.”   
  
“Sorry.” Aiba apologised. All at once reclaiming his arm and raising to his feet, he displaced his friend.   
  
Sakurai had to bite his tongue against making any sound of protest, although he couldn’t quite keep his disappointment from showing on his face.   
  
“We still have some time before we start filming.” The taller man continued, seemingly oblivious. “You should get some more sleep Sho-kun.”   
  
“I am  _not_  going to be able to sleep again  _now_.” He argued, looking up at his colleague with reproachful eyes. The hurt expression on Aiba’s face caused him to immediately regret his sharp tone.   
  
Aiba, however, recovered quickly. “I got it!” He beamed a smile that, Sho knew, meant he had come up with a solution. And suddenly the taller man grasped him by the shoulders and pushed him down further into the divan. “First, you have to lie down properly.” Aiba explained as he manhandled and manipulated Sakurai’s torso and limbs until they were arranged to his satisfaction.   
  
“ _Wha-?_ ”   
  
“Then your legs up too. Now the blanket-”   
  
“Aiba-chan, what are you doing?” Sakurai was now laid prone across the cushions while Aiba fussed with the blanket.   
  
“I’m tucking you in.” He stated as he did just that.   
  
“But-”   
  
“Shhh…” Aiba crouched to bring his face level with his overworked friend and smiled gently at him as if he were a child. “Rest while you can.” Reaching over he brushed the hair from Sakurai’s face with one slender finger. And despite himself, Sho felt his eyes drifting closed at Masaki’s fraternal ministrations.   
  
He didn’t even open them when Aiba whispered a soft, “Goodnight.” And pressed gentle lips upon his own. He barely even registered when Aiba slipped quietly out of the room.   
  
He rested better than he had in years. 

 

* * *

Aiba walked slowly back to the greenroom. He didn’t want to tell Nino that he had succeeded in kissing Sakurai. He didn’t want to explain that Sho  _hadn’t_  freaked out; his mouth had simply turned up at the corners into the slightest hint of a smile and he had promptly fallen asleep. Besides, in the end, he hadn’t done it because Nino  _told_  him to; he had  _wanted_  to.   
  
He could not explain it, even to himself, but seeing Sakurai so worn out had hurt him. He had simply been kissing away that pain. Or so he reasoned. Still, he did have to go back and confront Nino. Maybe he could lie? But no, Nino always knew when he wasn’t telling the truth. But maybe he could smudge the truth a little?   
  
Taking a deep breath outside the greenroom door and steeling himself against Nino’s inevitable interrogation he opened the door.   
  
And closed it again as quickly and quietly as he could.   
  
He doubted Nino would be asking any questions about his ‘experiment’. From the brief glimpse he had gotten, Aiba suspected Nino had other matters to occupy his mind. It seemed their leader had appeared and joined the game. Nino should know better than to play Truth or Dare with someone who has quite so much fun while on location at transvestite bars.   
  
Although, why  _Nino_  would dare Leader to  _kiss_   _Nino_  – ** _and so thoroughly_** – Aiba couldn’t even guess.   
  
Sparing it no more thought, Aiba headed back the way he came. Bypassing his own dressing room he returned to the dressing room of one Sakurai Sho. Quietly he slipped inside, closing the door firmly behind him.   
  
  
Fin.

**Author's Note:**

> The first ever fic I wrote for this fandom.


End file.
